Flap lock container

ABSTRACT

A conventional paperboard container has the closure flaps therefore constructed in such a fashion that &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;pinwheel&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; closing may readily be achieved. A contiguous pair of the end closure panels extending from the sleeve forming blank are scored parallel to the edges thereof, and have slots extending from the edges of the flaps to the score lines, the two slots and the score lines cooperating upon &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;pinwheel&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; closing to facilitate movement of the last to close flaps to closing position.

United States Tanner 15] 3,655,116 [451 Apr. 11, 1972 [54] FLAP LOCK CONTAINER [72] Inventor: Donald M. Tanner, Bellfiower, Calif.

[73] Assignee: Container Corporation of America,

Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: Feb. 3, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 8,195

[52] US. Cl ..229/39 [51] Int. Cl ..B65d 5/10 [58] Field ofSearch ..229/39, 40

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,494,536 2/1970 Henry ..229/39 R 3,058,585 10/1962 Budd ..229/39 Primary ExaminerJames B. Marbert AttorneyCarpenter, Ostis & Lindberg [5 7] ABSTRACT A conventional paperboard container has the closure flaps therefore constructed in such a fashion that pinwheei" closing may readily be achieved. A contiguous pair of the end closure panels extending from the sleeve forming blank are scored parallel to the edges thereof, and have slots extending from the edges of the flaps to the score lines, the two slots and the score lines cooperating upon pinwheel closing to facilitate movement of the last to close flaps to closing positron.

1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures FLAP LOCK CONTAINER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Prior art patents relating to closing of end panels are exemplified in Ringler U.S. Pat. No. 2,802,614 and Gelin U.S. Pat. No. 2,444,895 classified in Class 229, subclasses l and 39 respectively.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container having the improvements according to the present invention embodied therein;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a cut and scored blank for forming the container as seen in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a step in forming the container of FIGS. 1 and 4; and

FIG. 4 is a section taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of arrows.

The improved container according to the present invention is referred to by the reference numeral and is formed from a cut and scored blank 10A. The latter comprises opposed side panels 11 and 12, and opposed end panels 13 and 14, these being connected seriatim along fold lines 16. A glue flap 17 is foldably connected to side'panel 11 along fold line 18, and the structure thus far disclosed may be connected to form a carton sleeve.

Closure flaps 19A, 19B, 19C and 19D extend from the aforementioned side and end panels 11 to 14 inclusive and are foldably connected thereto along a continuous fold line 21. Each of the closure panels 19A to 19D inclusive is foldable with respect to the side and end panels connected thereto into a relationship as seen in FIGS. 1 and 3. A pair of adjacent panels, such as panels 19A and 19D, are each provided with a score line 22 spaced from the distal edges of such adjacent closure flaps, score lines 22 being parallel to the line of fold 21 of such flap to the side or end panel as the case may be.

A slot 23 is provided in each of said pair of adjacent flaps and extends generally perpendicular to score line 22 from the distal edge of such flap. Slots 23 and the score lines 22 define a pair of closure tabs 26 and 27 on each side of slot 23. The dimension A from a side edge 24 of panel 19A or 19D must be identical, so that the slots 23 move into interengagement as seen in FIG. 3.

The improved carton according to the present invention is closed in the convention pinwheel fashion. Panel 19A is brought into position over panels 198 and 19D, with tab 26 of panel 19A brought beneath tab 26 of panel 19D, tab 27 of pane 19A remaining in overlap position with respect to panel 19D.

It will be seen from the description foregoing that closure of the panels in a pinwheel fashion may be placed without substantial distortion of the closure flaps. By the same token, the unfolding of the closure panels may be achieved readily.

I claim:

1. A closure arrangement for a paperboard container having opposed side and end panels interconnected to form a sleeve, rectangular closure flaps extending from each of said panels and foldably connected thereto along a line of fold for manually closing or reclosing said container in lapping pinwheel fashion, said closure arrangement comprising:

a. score lines spaced from the distal edges of certain of said rectangular closure flaps in generally parallel relationship with said line of fold of said flap to its connected panel;

b. slots in certain of said closure flaps extending from distal edges thereof and generally perpendicular to said score line;

c. said slots and said score lines defining closure tabs in certain of said flaps;

d. said slots being spaced like distances from the side edges of their respective closure flaps;

e. one of said first pair of adjacent flaps being folded first into a closing position, the other of said first pair of adjacent flaps being folded last into a closing position following folding of the remaining flaps into overlapping relationship;

f. said closure tab of said last folded flap entering said slot of an adjacent folded flap to provide lapping pinwheel closing of said container without substantial deformation of said closure flaps. 

1. A closure arrangement for a paperboard container having opposed side and end panels interconnected to form a sleeve, rectangular closure flaps extending from each of said panels and foldably connected thereto along a line of fold for manually closing or reclosing said container in lapping ''''pinwheel'''' fashion, said closure arrangement comprising: a. score lines spaced from the distal edges of certain of said rectangular closure flaps in generally parallel relationship with said line of fold of said flap to its connected panel; b. slots in certain of said closure flaps extending from distal edges thereof and generally perpendicular to said score line; c. said slots and said score lines defining closure tabs in certain of said flaps; d. said slots being spaced like distances from the side edges of their respective closure flaps; e. one of said first pair of adjacent flaps being folded first into a closing position, the other of said first pair of adjacent flaps being folded last into a closing position following folding of the remaining flaps into overlapping relationship; f. said closure tab of said last folded flap entering said slot of an adjacent folded flap to provide lapping ''''pinwheel'''' closing of said container without substantial deformation of said closure flaps. 